2009 Chateau Ste. Michelle Horse Heaven Sauvignon Blanc

October 15, 2010 - Norman Bentley

I just got back from paradise, and man did I hate to leave! Paradise for the "Chardonnay Queen" and I, is our little cottage by the sea in Matlacha, Florida.

For those of you who don't know where Matlacha is, it is right offshore from Cape Coral, FL (Fort Myers), and is inside of the barrier islands of Captiva, Sannibel, and Pine Island. Matlacha is a small community of around 700 residents and has several very good restaurants, a thriving art community, and some of the best fishing in the whole state!

There were several good meals and a number of good bottles of wine, but the star of the trip was the 2009 Chateau Ste. Michelle Horse Heaven Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. Now that's a long name for a bottle of wine, but this one is also long on taste! This wonderful Sauvignon Blanc accompanied a terrific meal at "Red's Fresh Seafood" on Pine Island. For starters, there was a succulent cup of crab and red pepper bisque, followed by a platter of both oysters and shrimp.

The Horse Heaven Sauvignon Blanc hails from Washington State and is a blend of 89% Sauvignon Blanc and 11% Semillon, and is a perfect 13.5% alcohol. The wine starts with a light lime citus aroma which melts into the taste of a little citrus, a little grassy, and a lot of ripe pear. The finish is clean and crisp, and sails on into the night.

The "Wine Spectator scored this one an 89, which is one point below the 90 bestowed on the 2008 vintage. I would have to agree, as I also subtract one point from the previous vintage, since I found this one to be a touch lighter. This wine is so tasty, you could sit on the back porch and consume the whole bottle by yourself! However, shared with someone special with a platter of fresh shellfish, makes for a wonderful evening.